apologue
by empteaminded
Summary: So perhaps you do not wish to be the duchess, but you are most welcome to be my queen.
1. chapter one

**_note:_** ahoyhoy, this is going to be a little funny and a little silly and a little ooc. sorta kinda maybe. but it's going to be a little serious and a little romantic and a little sad aswell. prepare for a little multi-chapter, ha. and hopefully I do finish this. and yeah this kind of sucked, big time. fuck oh well.

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**_apologue  
_**chapter one

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_._

_._

"Good heavens, Sakura! You can do better than that!" Her mentor hissed, hitting her student lightly with her fan, correcting her posture.

"I am trying my best, milady." Sakura scowled as she balanced the books on her head. Five heavy books rested on top of her head which made her very uncomfortable. Her legs taking slow and shaky steps towards the end of the room. Her legs were tired of this activity. Doing this all morning of every single day did not help in their recovery at all. Sakura yelped as her boot got caught on the floor carpet. Wanting not to fall, she tried to balance herself by stretching her arms out. Her mentor groaned loudly as she watched the girl trip face first, the book flying everywhere. Not bothering to help her get up or even retrieve the books, she was heading towards the door, ready to exit the room. "I expect you to master this tomorrow, Sakura. Or else."

_Bang._

The door was slammed shut making the room shake a fraction. "Yes, Kurenai-sensei." She replied softly, aware that it was useless since her teacher already left the room. Sakura rubbed her sore head, and continued to lie on the carpeted floor. Sighing, she was contented to look at a beautiful portrait of her mother across from her. Her mother's soft pink locks tied up in a neat bun, the crown quietly resting on her head, and the warmest of smiles was on her face. Sakura silently prayed as she stared at the framed portrait. Wishing her mother was here with her.

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"Sakura-hime, how was your training today?"

Said girl curtsied respectfully to her father. He ruffled her hair in response as he adjusted his position on the throne. "It was quite exciting, father." Sakura forced a smile, lying through her teeth. The king only smiled back, oblivious to all things. He laughed before holding his daughter's hand gently.

"Sakura, I think you will be an excellent ruler."

The pink haired girl looked anywhere but her father. She knew that would not happen anytime soon. Not even in the near future. She does not want to be a leader. She just wanted a normal life, though she could never admit that to the king, of course. Instead of arguing, she cautiously nodded and gave another fake smile. "I will do my best then," At her response, Sakura was ready to exit the room, and forget all the lies she said, forget about this day until her father spoke again. "Your mother would have been proud of you."

Sakura froze as she played with her skirt. The king's words ringing in her ears.

_"Your mother would have been proud of you."_

_"Your mother would have been proud of you."_

_"Your mother_—_"_

Looking up, she saw his serene face. She quietly approached him, engulfing him in a tight hug before bowing and finally exiting the room.

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She sat down on her stool, facing her vanity mirror. Pouting at her reflection, she cautiously held the scissors, contemplating on her decision. "Are you really going to continue this, Sakura?" She asked herself. _She was tired_, she concluded. And she wanted to leave the castle. She wanted to go out of this cursed bedchamber. Her father never wanted her to explore the outside world, not even the whole palace! She wanted to escape the duties she never wanted to uphold. And she wanted to be _free_. Putting it back down on the table, she carefully freed her long flowing pastel hair from its high ponytail. Sighing heavily, she grabbed the scissors and started unevenly cutting.

Not bothering to clean up the messy pile of pink hair on the floor, she got up and quietly walked to her bedroom window. It was a full moon tonight. Looking at the stars above her, emerald eyes softened as she shook her head.

"Mother, you would know how I feel." She muttered quietly.

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The girl headed towards her door, pushing it slightly open, watching some of the guards yawning, some already openly sleeping on the job. Sakura snickered, her father would be furious. "Man, I hate these night shifts." One complained. "Tell me about it." She smirked to herself as she quietly exited her bedroom, tiptoeing her way to the grand staircase, successfully going unnoticed.

She was not allowed to go explore the castle, but she found her ways. The pinkette would sneakily skip her morning lectures to go around and observe the huge royal interior. She would always get caught in the end though. Despite only knowing a couple of places, she knew the most important ones. Quietly sprinting her way downstairs, she turned left into a dark long hallway. During her unknown sightseeing, she discovered a door at the very back where the royal maids reside. A door that leads into a relatively small dark forest that eventually takes you to a nearby town. They use this door to buy the finest food, and the finest cloths at all the finest and richest towns. And it's also the only available escape route young Sakura had.

_This hallway does not seem to end, does it?_ She mused. Statues stood tall and proud gracing both sides of the narrow path. They held torches, supplying a dim glow. Seeing a light ahead made her smiled widely, an indicator that she was almost near the maids' chambers. Sakura slowed down as she heard noises barely audible in the distance. It became louder and clearer as the seconds pass. _Footsteps._ She silently cursed. Running a bit faster as her destination became closer and closer.

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Sakura mentally cheered as she reached the maids' chambers. Slumping in a dark corner, she decided to rest for a bit. Trying to get her energy back. Running was hard especially in a gown. She carefully reached into her skirt pocket, retrieving the scissors she used to cut her hair and do the same with her dress. Stopping just below her knees, she removed her boots and tights underneath as well. Revealing bandaged feet and ankles. She would rather go barefoot, it was easier. Although her legs still hurt, she was determined to escape tonight. Spotting a cloak nearby, she grabbed it, putting it on quickly to conceal her identity. Sakura moved further into the dark corner as she heard the footsteps grow closer.

She heard moaning and groaning which made her stiffen. _What the hell?_ Her eyes widened as she saw one of her mentors entered the room, fervently kissing one of the maids. The pinkette blushed, looking away when her sensei started to unbutton the servant's shirt. They quickly fumbled their way to one of the bed chambers nearby. Not wanting to get caught, she tiptoed quietly to the back door.

"We should not be doing this—" She heard the maid gasp. Sakura shook her head, trying to get inappropriate images out of her head. She never knew her sensei had a secret love affair of some sort. _I have lost all respect for you, sensei_. She mused. Grasping the door knob, she twisted it carefully. Cursing to herself, as it would not open. _It is locked. _Sakura mentally groaned. Oh, the luck. "I–I want y–you..." Quickly wanting to get out of here, she fumbled, checking the nearby drawers if they contained the key. Spotting a rug near the kitchen sink, she felt for the key finding something small and solid. Lifting the mat, she grinned, stumbling upon what she was looking for. Silently creeping back to the back door, she inserted the key, successfully unlocking the door.

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Breathing heavily, she ran through the forest. A little chitchat and information she got from the maids is that, "The forest is rather small. All you need to do is walk straight ahead and it eventually leads into a brick road, directing you to one of the small towns that are under your father's reign." In which she replied, "Wow, that is very fascinating! You know so much about the village!"

Trusting them, she decided to follow their instructions. Hoping to find this brick road as she walked thought the forest. She watched as an owl carefully eyed her. "May I ask what are you looking at?" She peered quietly. She laughed at herself, _of course it would not respond_. The pink haired girl just shook her head. Crickets chirped, making the woodland more eerie as it already is. Occasional violent gusts of wind made her shiver under her cloak. Sakura did not want anything more than to get out of here, and fast.

She looked up at the moon, and yawned. She was beyond tired. "Maybe it would not hurt to take a quick nap." Sakura muttered quietly, not really talking to anybody in particular. Not that there was somebody to talk to in the first place. She stood behind a tree, slowly sliding her back behind it, closing her eyes.

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"Sakura!" Kurenai banged at the duchess's bed chamber door. "That little brat—" She quietly muttered.

"Open this door, this instant! You are inevitably late for your lecture, young lady." She continued banging the door. A guard peered in. "Is anything the matter, milady?" Kurenai looked over her shoulder, scowling. "The little duchess has locked herself in her room, so it seems!"

"Have you tried twisting the knob?"

"..."

_Twist._

_Click._

_Creak._

_Open._

Her brow twitching, the mentor laughed manically. "Oh my!" She feigned a shocked expression. "You have my gratitude, young soldier." She waved a flirtatious and dismissive hand to the guard. Turning back her attention to her stubborn student's bedchamber, she kicked the door open.

"Sakura! Wake up you—"

...

...

...

Silence.

"WHERE IS THE DUCHESS?!"

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Sakura moaned, rubbing her head further into the soft mattress. Wait. Soft mattress? She abruptly sat up, eyeing the area. "Was not I in the forest?" She whispered to herself.

"Ah! You have awoken, good morning milady." Sakura froze as a relatively elder woman with gray hair smiled at her. "M-May I ask where am I?" Sakura eyed the lady. She was sure that she was not one of her father's servants, which made her mentally sigh in relief. "Ah, we found you asleep in the forest. Me and my husband—" She pointed to the man sat on a chair, reading a newsletter. "—decided to take you with us. It would be such a shame to leave a pretty lady like you out in the forest." She smiled warmly. Sakura returned the gesture and thanked them wholeheartedly.

_I guess I have reached the town one way or another_. She giggled. "May I ask, why were you at the forest?" The woman inquired. The rosette shook her head, lying through her teeth she replied with a calm expression, "Oh, I just wanted some fresh air. Thank you for finding me." The lady just smiled again, handing her a piece of bread. _What time is it?_ Sakura mused. Looking around, she saw a grandfather clock, it read _11:30am_.

"Wow, I slept for a while." Taking a bite of her part of the loaf, not aware that she muttered that out loud. The elder woman giggled. "I am Sachi by the way. My husband is Ruka. What is your name?"

Finishing her meal, the pink haired girl replied. "It is a pleasure to mean you both, Sachi-san and Ruka-san. I am Sakura."

Sakura stood up, bowing at them. Ready to leave. "I shall be leaving now. Thank you for having me."

"It is nice to meet you as well Sakura-chan." Sachi bowed back and added, "You know, you have the same name as the fair duchess," She stiffened. Oh no. "It is fascinating how you have the same color as well, although yours is relatively shorter than the king's daughter." The elder woman eyed her curiously. "You do not happen to be—"

"Ah! Look at the time! Ihavetogonowthankyou—"

_Slam._

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"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SAKURA IS GONE!?"

Kurenai and the guards cringed at the King's loud outburst. He was clearly unhappy. He slammed his staff on the tiled floor, dragging it across the platform, creating a very irritating screeching sound. "Y–Your highness, she apparently escaped last night–"

"And you did not see her exit her room?" The ruler shouted, he was fuming.

The guards quivered at his stern gaze. They know for a fact that they were sleeping on the job. They would not think that Sakura-hime was capable of such a childish deed. They all knew she was disciplined and well mannered. They bowed their heads in shame as they settled to just listen to the king's ranting.

"Surely, she has not gone far..." Kurenai peered in, trying to comfort his royal fuming highness. "Y-yes! She might be in the nearby town—" The guard quickly quieted as he received a death glare that would make a lesser man cry. And unluckily, they were lesser men.

"Make a public announcement of her absence." The king ordered. His face hidden by his silver bangs. He walked back to his throne, slumping in as he groaned unhappily. "Now, you are dismissed. Go!" They jumped at his loud voice and they bowed their respects, fumbling about what to do. He scowled at their uselessness.

"Y–yes, master."

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"—her by any chance. My, what a rude girl. " Her husband grunting in agreement. "She was a very pretty one, though. Such a shame." Sachi jumped as they heard their stereo started humming loudly.

_"Greetings, beloved residents of the town. Haruno Sakura-hime, the King's one and only daughter has escaped the palace for reason we do not know. She has striking emerald eyes, and pastel pink hair. It you happened to see her anywhere in town, please inform us right away through telegram. The people who find the fair duchess, shall receive a reward from the King, personally_—_"_

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Sakura slammed the door and walked in a fast pace. She did not want to be rude but, _if_ they ever found out that the duchess and she _is_ the same person. Oh no. It shall be the end of her escapade. And she has not even had the chance to explore the town yet! Sighing heavily, she ran her fingers through her short uneven chopped hair. It reached her shoulders now. Despite loving long hair, it was a hassle. She sighed for the nth time, shaking her head to dismiss the thought. She heard a faint creak of a door.

"Goodness! It is the duchess everyone!" Sachi shouted, enough to make all passersby look at Sakura with a shocked expression.

...

...

...

"DUCHESS!"

Oh no. Sakura cursed as people started running after her. She quickened her pace, sprinting as fast as she could. Cringing as she stepped on a couple rocks. There were a lot of people in the street. _This is a pretty busy town_, she mused. She said her apologies to every one she stumbled upon. "I am sorry!" She shouted, earning a glare from the town's people. She groaned in displeasure. Her plan was foiled _already?_ Give her poor little heart a break.

More people got out of their houses upon hearing the announcement. "Duchess!" Sakura was about to cry with all these people tailgating her. "Duchess! Sakura-hime!" She could not stand hearing them call her that. She did not wish to be a duchess ever in her live. Turning a sharp right she came across an abandoned park. A tall tree stood nearby. Not really caring anymore, she started climbing it as fast as she could, hoping that no one would catch her on the act on time. Successfully standing on a thick branch, she clung on the trunk, hugging it, being as quiet as possible as the town's people went pass the tree.

"Duchess!"

"Where is the duchess?!"

"Sakura-hime!"

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Carefully turning the knob, Haruno-sama entered his daughter's bed chambers. It was eerie quiet, only the click of his boots made audible noise. He noted pink hair scattered everywhere. He scowled distastefully at the sight. He look at himself at the vanity mirror. Hissing at his stressed face. A little note was pinned beside the glass. He carefully took off the pin, reading the note quietly.

_I am sorry, father._

Crumpling the little piece of paper, he sighed heavily as he stared at a framed photo of his deceased wife. She had a warm smile on her face. Anyone would stop and stare. Anyone would be heartbroken upon seeing her. "Do not worry, I will bring her back no matter what." He promised, his fist clenching.

Ready to exit the room, loud footsteps were heard.

"Haruno-sama! Haruno-sama!" The guards frantically shouted.

"What?" The king coldly spat.

They stiffened and slowly look behind them, see a very pissed king. They bowed their respects. "Do you have news?"

"Y-yes, Haruno-sama. The fair duchess is certainly in town. The people have seen her–"

"Send guards to search the town. Now."

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Sakura sighed as she watched the residents quickly dispersed. She felt sorry for them, but if they knew what she has been through, they would escape the castle as well, without second thoughts. She was about to climb back down when she heard trotting of horses. Looking at the far distance, she cursed.

"Oh no. Father's men." Sakura muttered to herself quietly. She tried to steady herself as they passed by, the area shook a little. Causing her stumble and sit abruptly. The magnitude being unreasonable.

"Ow." Rubbing her aching bottom, she tried to stand up again. Resting her hands on the branch, Sakura froze when she felt something smooth. _Branches aren't supposed to be soft._ It was fabric she concluded. She peered slowly behind her as she found a human body lying on the tree branch. "Well, this was certainly not here a while ago..." She muttered to herself, not really sure why she had not notice a person sleeping here before.

Sakura could tell it was a male from its body structure. He was lean and tall, observing his long legs and arms. His skin very pale. An arm dangled from the branch, while the other one rested behind his head. He was wearing a comfy set of dark slacks. He had also a dirty white button-up shirt, the sleeves loosely folded up until his elbows. Along with that, he had rusty suspenders on. How cute.

_Er, I mean_—

Sakura coughed, letting go of his fabric covered leg. She wished she could see his face though. A book was covering it. But she could still see his wild ebony locks. She watched as his chest heaved up and down, his breathing even. _Well this is kind of awkward. _Sakura has no idea what to do when he suddenly wakes up. So she decided to try and get down, now. She certainly does not want to face him when he does decide to awake. Ready to attempt to stand again, she fell back as her tired legs became jelly for a minute. She mentally groaned. Great.

She heard another set of trotting; another group of her father's guards came rushing through. They were faster and shook the ground greater this time. Sakura was in a crouching position. Wanting to see them better, she tried to rise up again. But she lost her balance for the nth time, falling on top of the sleeping male's body. She stiffened as she heard him groan. Oh no. Blushing, she stayed at that uncomfortable position to see if he would wake up. Seven seconds. _Okay, he is still asleep._ Thank goodness.

Sakura was about to have a heart attack.

Wanting to get out of the position, she pressed her palms gently on his chest trying to stand up, again. Noting his well-built body as her hands made contact with him. _Cough._ Trying her hardest not to apply too much force. She did not want to bother his peaceful slumber anymore. He moaned. His husky grunt ringing in her ears. _Okay._ Sakura let out a breathy, tired sigh, closing her eyes. A blush crept up her neck, causing her body to tingle.

Oh boy.

She looked up at the blue sky, questioning her situation.

"Mother, what did I do to deserve this?"

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**_tbc_**

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**_note:_** haha, what have I done. how was it? it was horrible i know. i am bad at humor and long paragraphs. sigh. should i continue or should i not, hoho.


	2. chapter two

**_note:_** i'm fairly depressed right now, sorry if this was late. a lot of things have been swimming in my mind recently. i can't even do drabbles to save me, so this is not the best but i hope this catches your fancy. and idk is this a little ooc? plus, i know it's a bit cliché hahaha.

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**_apologue_**  
chapter two

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"I have to get out of here." Sakura whispered to herself, spotting guards lingering underneath her hiding spot.

Gently pushing herself, she heard another husky grunt from the male. Sighing shakily, she gave up. Lifting one arm, she pulled up her hood. Keeping her hand rested upon her head, afraid that that it would fall, giving away her identity if anyone decided to be clever and look up. Instead of her arm, she tried moving her legs this time. Slowly lifting her right leg, Sakura heard loud knocking from the nearby residents.

_Bang._

_Bang._

It was the guards. "Excuse me madam, have you seen the duchess?" Sakura winced as she saw them harass the innocent town's people, noting their panic stricken faces. "Where is the duchess?!" They were shouting and it made the people quiver in fear. "W-we do not know, sir." Managing to rest half of her leg on the branch, she unconsciously rubbed her knee against his crotch. Too focused on the unnecessary barging in of her father's men, she was not aware of her action until he released an aching moan that made her shiver, blush creeping up her baffled face.

Oh boy, oh boy, _oh boy_.

She is in hot water now.

Sakura retreated her other arm that was lingering on his chest, turning back her attention to guards below. She eyed one of them, the guard stood nearly just below them. Successfully redrawing her hand, not hearing a grunt, she gasped as his lazy arm reached out to grab her wrist. She watched with wide eyes as he slowly tried to sit up, the book falling from his face. His face was full of irritation but Sakura could not help but stare openly.

_Oh god._

He looked so—

Her trance was broken when she heard the book landed hard on something solid.

"Ow!"

Oh no. It landed on top of the guard's head.

Sakura was starting to panic as he looked around, trying hard to find the culprit that hit him. "Who on earth—"A hand was placed on the back of Sakura head. This got the girl's attention as she watched as the awakened boy lean in closer to her. "Just follow my lead, milady." His husky voice rang in her ears and he leaned closer and closer. His words finally sinking in, she gasped. "I beg your par—"

And then he crashed his lips onto hers.

He slid his hands up, keeping her hood in place, as well as guiding her arms around his neck. Sakura still in shock, stiffened. Her inner preparing the ultimate war plan to verbally abuse the heck out of him. _Oh, the nerve!_ Opening her mouth to attempt to do so, he took this opportunity to slip his tongue in. Emerald eyes fluttered shut as electricity ran through her spine, their tongues touching.

And slowly she started kissing back, trying hard to keep up with his erratic rhythm.

"Hey!" The guard looked up, rubbing his aching head. He squinted his eyes, trying to focus on the two people up the tree, still fairly dizzy. He clutched the book tight with his free hand.

"Excuse me, you up the—"

A moan escaped Sakura's lips, making the man below stiffen. His eyes widened as his vision cleared, see them kiss each other forcefully. Blushing, he coughed and starting to walk away, mumbling an apology. "U-um, carry on." He shook his head and strode away, unknowingly dropping the book, with a red face.

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_Bang._

_Bang._

"Oi, otouto."

Itachi knocked, tapping his foot impatiently. Leaning on the cold cement wall beside the locked door, he stared at the wall clock across from him, squinting his eyes as he checked the time. Sighing, he massaged his temples. He knew his younger brother was never a morning person, but _this_ late? He would never. _Unless.._

"Ah! Itachi-sama."

Itachi turned around, grunting, giving a curt nod as the maids bowed down to greet him "a pleasant afternoon". Itachi thought otherwise, though. Clearing his throat, the servants looked up at him. "Has my brother," He gestured to locked door behind him with his thumb. "Not exited his room since this morning?" He watched as the maids exchange looks of confusion. _Don't tell me_, he mused. Fidgeting under his hard gaze, they finally shook their heads no.

_Ah, I should have known_.

"No, Itachi-sama. The young master hasn't."

"Hn."

Nodding at them slightly, Itachi started to walk away as the women bowed again, returning back to their business. He smirked to himself, shaking his head. Sighing at his younger brother's misbehavior. Itachi started descending down the stairs.

_Aa, he went to town again._

"I wonder what he is up to."

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Panting, Sakura slowly pulled away as his grip on her loosened. Her face was beet red as she watched him lick his lips, a faint smirk on his face. "Y-you!" She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "How dare you..." She flushed as his leer widened, pointing an accusing finger at him, she shouted. "Y-you harassed me!"

He chuckled, much to her horror. "Is that so?"

His husky voice rang in her ears as she watched him move closer, and closer, her eyes widened as his hand reaching out to trace her jawline, moving up until his finger is gently pressed against her bruised lips. "You seemed to enjoy it," He leaned in, his hot breath against her earlobe. "Sakura." A delicious shiver ran down her spine as he breathed out her name.

"H-How did you..."

Pulling away slightly, he shrugged nonchalantly.

"Hn."

_Huh? What does that even mean?_

He turned away from her, running his hand through his messy hair. Crouching, he jumped down from the high branch, stretching his arms as he yawned slightly, landing on the ground unharmed. He sighed, bending over to grab his book.

_Hey!_

Sakura watched as he dusted invisible dirt from his pants, and started to walk away.

_Where is he going?_

"Hey!" Sakura shouted, "You didn't really answer my..." She blushed when he looked back at her, giving her a teasing salute. "Yes, milady?" Pouting, she shook her head_. This guy, he is indeed an interesting one._ "H-how do you know..." He raised an eyebrow at her, his lips tugged at the corners, waiting patiently for her to continue. She gulped. "...my name." Sakura murmured the last bit, feeling a bit embarrassed at his gaze.

"Pardon?" He inquired, his smirk widening.

He started to walk back to the tree, reached out his hand, a signal to help her get down. Sakura furrowed her eyebrows, a little frightened to jump down from the branch. Her legs were still a bit weak and shaky, it would be hard to climb down. "Don't worry," The pink-haired girl looked at him when he spoke. "I'll be sure to catch you."

_Really, this guy..._

A weak smile made its way to her face, noting the reassuring look he gave.

"I-If you say so." She replied meekly, although something in the back of her mind was telling her otherwise. _Should I really be trusting such a stranger?_ Shaking her head, she carefully positioned herself, gently guiding her wobbly legs into a crouching position. He inhaled sharply, trying not to let fear overcome her. Her eyes widened as he hear faint trotting somewhere close, making her lose focus, causing her to wobble off balance. Her foot slipped, causing her to yelp. Sakura closed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the impact.

A breathy chuckle was all she heard instead.

"I told you," Sakura gasped as strong arms carried her body, like a married man would do to her wife. She slowly opened her eyes, noticing how close their faces were. He wore a cheeky, teasing expression but his eyes softened, faintly flashing with concern. "Not to worry." She smiled at his words, they were heartening. Sighing, she contemplated what to say to him.

"T-thank yo—"

"A-AH! HIME! SAKURA-HIME!"

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"The young duchess ran away, huh?"

"Yes, Itachi-sama. It seems that she is rebelling, though I find that rather odd and unlikely for an obedient girl like her."

"Hn. Well, it is strange." Itachi lifted his cup near his lips, smelling the caffeine. _Haruno-sama must be worried sick, _he mused. He knew how ugly the King's personality was when he was angered. It is surely not a very pretty sight. "Do they have any leads as to where the duchess may be?" He asked, looking at his former mentor. "Ah, news has spread that she is roaming around the town nearby." Nodding slowly, Itachi was about to sip his cup of coffee, when a maid bursts into the room, making him jump slightly as the hot liquid spilled on his pants.

"I-Itachi-sama—!" The maid was panicking, he could tell.

"Yes?" Itachi hissed, putting his cup down on his study table.

"A-ah! Gomen! But Itachi-sama, a-ano—"

"Please be direct."

"H-hai!" The maid bowed down slightly at him, inhaling sharply. "W-we were to deliver some of the young master's clothes in his room—"

"Aa."

"And the door seemed to be lock and—"

"Aa."

"We had to let one of the guards kick it down—"

"Aa."

"S-Sasuke-sama, was not in his room—"

"Aa."

"He seemed to have escaped through his window—"

"Aa."

"I-Itachi-sama—!"

"Aa."

"Pardon—"

"Aa."

"...but are you even listening—"

"Aa."

Itachi waved a dismissive hand, getting up from his seat.

"B-But, Itachi-sama! This is bad—"

He snorted in response. "Hai, hai. I know." He grabbed a napkin gently wiping off the stains on his pants. Sadly, it won't come off. Sighing in defeat, he asked the maid to exit the room. She was frantic about it, but followed his orders nonetheless. "Itachi?" Came his old mentor's questionable tone, a delicate brow was raised and he was answered with a shake of his student's head. "Don't worry, he'll come back eventually." Itachi smirked at his sensei's confused face.

"Are you saying that it is normal for him to go and ignore his lectures?"

The elder brother chuckled.

"Hai. You could say that," Scratching the back of his neck, he looked at his study table, eyeing a framed photo of his younger brother at age six, grinning widely in an open, abandoned field. He smiled.

"Aa, he has a knack for wondering off."

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"Shimatta!" He cursed and started sprinting, tightening his grip on her. "W-wait! Please slow down a bit!" Sakura closed her eyes shut at his sudden dash, gasping as her skirt flied about at his speed. He laughed. "No time. The villagers have spotted you." Letting his words sink in, she slowly opened her eyes.

_Wait, how do they know it's me? _She mused._ Do I not have my hood on_...

"Young duchess!"

"Sakura-hime!"

"DUCHESS-SAMA!"

Her free hand slowly went up to her messy pink locks. Gulping, Sakura turned her head slightly at the side. "EH?!" She shouted, cursing inwardly as she attracted more attention from the villages they passed by.

"A-ah! It's the young duchess!"

"Sakura-hime!"

"HIME!"

"It's the hime!"

_This is not good, _she panicked. _The impact when I jumped..._

Shaking her head furiously as the town's people called out to her, she wrapped her arms firmly around his neck, steadying herself. _I must trust this individual once more, he has helped me greatly so far._ Sighing in defeat, she looked at him. "U-uhm, please!" She stammered, hearing him snort. "I apologize but, please go a bit faster!" Sakura shouted, blushing furiously as he looked at her with a rather amused expression. He let out a breathy chuckle, picking up his pace, then he smirked.

"As you wish, milady."

.

.

"Hime-sama?"

"Ah! She has disappeared, yet again!"

"...hime?"

"Duchess?"

...

...

...

"Are they gone?" Sakura asked, hiding behind a bush near the gates at the end of town. She watched as the man beside her looked around the area like a ninja, crouching down low. Sighing, he faced her with a faint grin. "Aa." Sliding down on the dusty ground, the pink-haired girl stretched out her legs, breathing in and out. "Thank goodness." Sakura closed her eyes, letting out a breathy giggle.

"Pfft, where is he?"

...

Sakura froze as she heard a voice, along with shuffling of feet nearby.

And _oh boy_, it's getting closer.

Opening one eye, she watched as the raven-haired boy shifted positions, gently parting the bush they hid behind slightly. Snorting, he stood up. "Oi!" He shouted, calling out the person nearby, much to Sakura's horror. "What. Are. You. Doing." The rosette gritted her teeth, but he waved a dismissive hand at her, tossing her his book, giving her a taunting smirk before strolling away.

"Oi, dobe!" He yelled at the blond haired boy as his head shifted from left to right, attempting to find the person calling him, an annoyed expression on his face.

...

"Teme!" The boy sneered.

Sakura watched behind the bush, a bit confused.

_Mou, what is he doing?_

They chatted animatedly, the dark haired boy occasionally giving taunting smirks and hitting the other fellow on the head. She stiffened as he turned his head towards her direction, ducking her head even lower. _Oh, no._ She contemplated whether to run or stay put. Gulping as she twisted around at her heel, she carefully took small, cautious steps.

_I knew I should have not trusted anybody. _She sighed, shakily._ I better get going if I want to es—_

"Sakura," A hand rested on her shoulder.

She inhaled sharply as she felt his body pressed behind her crouching form. "Where do you think you are going?"

Oh, no.

.

.

"Eh?! So she's the duch—fsafsafsa—!"

"Be quiet, dobe."

The blond boy took a deep breath as he pried the hand covering his mouth. Successfully tugging free, he yelped, falling face first on the dirty ground. "Hey! Easy there, teme!" His turned his head to eye Sakura, the girl stiffening at his sheepish gaze.

_Mou, I am really screwed_, Sakura mused, shifted her eyes from left to right, clenching her fists that were resting on her lap, not knowing what to do in this awkward situation.

A small blush adored the boy's cheeks. "A-Ah! Do not worry hime, I am not here to capture you." She blinked, taken aback by his words. He grinned from ear to ear, and she found herself smiling a bit. "I am Uzumaki Naruto, by the way! At your service, pretty hime." Naruto bowed down slightly, making Sakura giggle.

The dark haired boy just snorted, making Naruto snapped his head towards his direction. "Pardon?" He said, glaring at his smirking face.

"It still does not change the fact," He walked towards him, both of them glaring at each other. "That you are still a dobe," He snickered lightly at his irritated expression. "Dobe."

"Teme, you little—"

"U-uhm, ano..." Sakura blushed, a bit shy, stammering as the two boys looked at her. She gave them a warm smile.

She stood up, gingerly walking towards them as they straightened up. "It's nice to meet you, Naruto." She held out a hand and he gladly took it, shaking hands enthusiastically. "Ah, no! Hime it is my pleasure to finally meet you." Sakura laughed lightly. "You can just call me Sakura." The blond boy gave a sheepish grin.

Looking at the corner of her eye, she blushed prettily as she faced the dark haired boy. "A-ah, thank you." She looked down, playing with the hem of her cloak. "For everything." He tilted her head up, hearing him snort.

"Hn." He grunted, slowly walking away. "No problem." He pocketed his hands. "Oi, Naruto." He called out, briefly looking at the idiot, still in a daze. "H-hey! Wait for me!" He shouted back, puffing his cheeks. Briefly bowing down as he passed by the young duchess. Sakura gave a weak smile, dismissing her previous thought, of the regret of trusting the man that helped her escape. _I need to thank him properly._ Shaking her head, she looking determined. She opened her mouth, attempting to call him out. _Wait..._ Closing it slightly, she remembered something.

...

"A-ano!" She had her hands near her beating heart as she watched them stop walking. Gulping, she took a step forward.

"May I know your name?" She drawled softly, worried that he might not even hear her. She blushed as he looked back at her, a mocking smirk on his face. "Pardon me hime, but why should I tell you?" Emerald eyes widen at his reply, finding his aloofness vulgar, yet strangely appealing. She huffed as his smirked widened, finding her amusing.

"How _ru_—"

"Sasuke."

...

_What did he say?_

Sakura blinked, before looking back at him, his smirk replaced with a small smile.

"...Pardon?"

"Uchiha Sasuke." He finished, pulling his head back, starting to walk again. "Ja ne, hime." He breathed softly, missing the blushing face Sakura had.

"Ja ne, Naruto!" Sakura yelled as the blond waved at her, having a huge grin. She giggled as the dark haired boy bonked his head, Naruto giving him a death glare.

"Ja ne," She whispered as she slowly bent down to pick up the fallen book he left behind for her. "Sasuke-kun."

.

.

.

**_tbc_**

.

.

.

* * *

**_note_**: sasuke you're so ooc i'm so so sorry darling


	3. chapter three

**one:** hiho, i started college recently yep. sad times. it's funny how everybody else is finishing school and i'm just starting again.  
**two**: fair warning, this is a very unconventional story, with scenes all over the place. i just needed a drive to let out some shameless fluff ahuh. the plot is rough, and highly cliché, but it's coming along.  
**three**: taking out the little fail poem-ish things at the beginnings because i can. huhuhu.  
**four:** expect later updates in the future. i want to write some pre-ship drabbles, please send in prompts? cries.  
**dedication:** to my best friend which will never read this bc he's not into the fandom but damn i was talking to him while writing this and he's just so funny and awesome and asjdhaskfa yes.

* * *

_**apologue**_  
chapter three

.

.

.

_Growl._

"Oh dear."

Sakura sighed, patting her empty stomach gently. Looking up, her eyes traveled from shop to shop, cursing inwardly, thinking how stupid she was, not even carrying any loose change with her. _Oh, Sakura._ Her shoulders slumping, she blew her bangs out of her face. "And it's only been a few hours..." She muttered softly, eyebrows furrowed. "How will I be able to keep this up? I cannot even last the afternoo—"

_Growl._

She sighed for the nth time today.

.

.

He observed his companion out of the corner of his eye, cerulean orbs narrowing slightly, noting the unwavering smirk on Sasuke's face. His eyes were closed, and his expression was calm. The blond on the other hand, had his arms behind his head, curiously stealing glances at the quite smug, brooding raven haired boy.

They walked in comfortable silence.

...

Well at least one of them was.

"Oi." Naruto called out.

...

...

He huffed as he was thoroughly ignored.

Sasuke has always been so indifferent, true Naruto was very used it by now. He can never really get him sometimes. He has this skill of masking away all his feelings. His face was always so stoic, so emotionless. Yes, occasionally he would snort and grin and laugh, but—

"Oi, Sasuke!"

—he's never seen him like _this_.

And quite frankly, it was methodically freaking him out.

Letting out a loud whine, he speeded up, wanting to get to their destination quicker, finding the whole walk awkward. Shaking his head, he focused his gaze on the path before them.

Cerulean eyes flashed with awe at the sight; cherry blossom trees.

Naruto grinned sheepishly, watching the pink petals dance around them, watching as they were gracefully carried by the wind. A petal lazily landed on the tip of his nose, and he chuckled, shaking his head lightly.

"The Sakura trees are so beautiful." Naruto mused aloud, mouth agape in a huge cheeky grin, whistling in admiration as he well-regarded the pretty petals. Spring was always his favorite season.

"Aa."

"Yes! And—"

...

...

...

_Wait, PARDON__—__?_

Naruto paused, almost snapping his neck just to look back at his companion in disbelief. Did Sasuke just agree to something he said? Now, Naruto was really scared. It's not everyday that you see a smiling Uchiha, and heck he even agreed to someone like him. _Something is definitely up_, Naruto mused. A little intrigued, he continued the conversation with slight caution.

"...Yes and, they say that they bloom exceptionally beautiful this year!"

Naruto chirped, trying to sound as believable as he can.

...

Silence.

_Ouch._

The blond sighed in defeat.

Well, he tried.

"Hn." Came the dark-haired boy's usual grunt. Cerulean eyes widened a fraction, jumping a little at his late response. His lips a thin line, Naruto scrutinized the boy beside him, trying hard to figure out his expression.

"They have always been beautiful." Sasuke shrugged, watching with half lid eyes as the petals dance around them. Reaching out to a cherry blossom petal close to where he stood, he placed it in between his fingers. "But it is quite true," He paused, smirking to himself rather deviously, much to Naruto's horror. "They are definitely especially captivating_ this year_."

His mouth almost hung open upon hearing his words.

Now that's something you don't hear everyday. He could not help but narrow his eyes further at him. _Was he implying something else with his emphasis on words?_ He would never know. But he really wanted to, and he gulped. _I guess it would not hurt to coax him a little more._ Coughing, he straightened up, trying to look substantial as he could.

"S-say, teme," Naruto choked out, his mouth twitching as his shoulders slumped tiredly. Said raven-haired boy looked back at him, a delicate eyebrow raised in question. "You never really told me," He inched closer. "That you love _Sakura this much_—"

...

He tried his best, he really, _really_ did. But his voice ended up cracking, high-pitched with prying in the end.

"A-and of course by that, I mean the _flowers_!" He waves his arms defensively.

_Heh, I was right._ Sasuke smirked, completely knowing all along what he was up to. He snorted at him, almost laughing at how the blond idiot's face was oddly knotted with confusion. "You never really asked, dobe." He finally said, teasingly, speeding up as he faintly saw their destination up ahead.

…

Silence.

...

...

...

"E-EH? OI, TEME WAIT UP!"

.

.

Tugging her hood in place, her tired legs carried her limp body to the small, market area near the next town. Sakura pouted, looking at the delicious, fresh fruits in one of the carts. _If only I had some spare change with me_, she mused, continuing to mental scold herself as she wandered around the region, patting her cloak pockets in despair.

_If only I..._ She stopped midway as she felt something solid. Curious, she reached into her deep pouch, pulling out a seemingly familiar book.

"This is..."

.

.

"Oi, dobe. Hurry up, we're here."

Naruto shrieked, tugging at his blond locks in frustration. He shook his head, quickly catching up with Sasuke, pouting as he remembered being outwitted. _That jerk, he knew all along! How dare he play along?! _Inwardly cursing, he breathed out a heavy sigh. At least he can finally rest, nearing their destination, knowing that their little quest was almost over. Finally.

_Ring! Ring!_

"Ah! Welc—"

"..."

"..."

"—Oh, it's just you two."

"Hn."

"Wow Kakashi-sensei, thank you for the warm welcome..." Naruto mumbled to himself sarcastically, sighing as he leaned his aching head on the countertop.

_Slap!_

"Ow!"

"Hands off the counter, Naruto. I just cleaned that." Kakashi smiled behind his gray mask, and the blond idiot did not like it one bit. What's with all the smiling faces today? They are very misleading.

"Hai, hai." He muttered dejectedly, waving his hands dramatically in the air, not wanting to argue any further.

With another heavy sigh, he plopped down on his stool, propping one knee up.

_Growl._

Blushing lightly, Naruto laughed, hearing his stomach whine, and ran his hands through his unruly hair. _Well_, he has been walking and working around for a while now. Being sent out to look for useless things, doing errands from old civilians, waiting hours for his bastard of a comrade to show up, well the good side of it all is that he even got the chance to meet the duchess. Cerulean eyes glinted as he eyed his mentor. "Say, Kakashi-sensei..." He drawled out, watching as said sensei sighed heavily, shoulders slumping. "Sorry Naruto, but I don't have ramen."

"B-B-But I did not eve—"

"Let me remind you that this is an inn, not a buffet joint."

Huffing angrily, Naruto pouted, crossing his arms. Why was everybody extra disrespectful to him today? He will never know why. _At least the hime was nice to me_, he mused dreamily, snickering quietly to himself as he tilted back a little, forgetting he was on a stool.

_Thud._

"O-ow!"

"Dobe?"

"Are you okay, Naruto?"

Naruto just sighed for the nth time, lying on the mopped wood floor, spreading his arms out. This was just really not his day. He closed his eyes, feeling his temples throb.

Kakashi coughed, catching both of their attentions.

"Well?" He inquired, raising a delicate brow. "I believe you two have something important to give me." He reached out his palm for emphasis.

"It's with teme." The blond mumbled, not really bothered to care right now. He instead just focused his attention to his empty stomach.

"Aa." the raven-haired boy nodded mutely. He reached down, patting his pants pockets, and froze. "Well?"

...

...

...

"...It's not with me." Sasuke drawled out.

...

"PARDON?!"

"Dobe, is it with you?" He winced, ignoring the almost hysterical Kakashi in front of him. His sensei was clinging to his shoulders, and he tried his best to pry him off. Naruto's head shot up. "E-eh? It's not with me, teme!" The blond spat, pouting at his comrade's accusation. "Tsk, then where is it?" Sasuke tried to keep his anger in check as Kakashi was shaking the boy's shoulders. Standing up and dusting his pants, Naruto trotted over to his seemingly seething sensei, pulling his arm. "Maybe you dropped it somewhere?"

"Y-you WHAT?!"

Both boys cringed at their mentor's high-pitched wail. Naruto laughed nervously. "E-eh, it's not really a big deal Kakashi-sensei. We can always—"

"It's a limited edition piece of fine literature!" He let go of the raven-haired boy's shoulders, much to Sasuke's relief. "It cannot be just dropped on the dirty ground!" He was waving his hands in the air. "DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND ITS VALUE?" The boys shared a disturbed look, musing on the same thought.

_It's he a little too overdramatic about this whole thing?_

They knew for a fact that their sensei was calm, cool, and collected. That's why they trained under him, they looked up to him. But talk dirt about his favorite book series and he will just flip.

"LADS LET ME TELL YOU VALID REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD NOT DROP SUCH A FINE BOOK—"

Oh boy.

.

.

Sakura ran her finger down its spine, fainting remembering picking this up a while ago. _Sasuke-kun was carrying this around with him...If I'm not mistaken._ She pondered, blinking. The pink-haired girl squinted her eyes, trying to read the small, worn out print on the front cover. "I-Icha Icha...?" She tilted her head in slight confusion, finding the title slightly recognizable.

"Aren't these..." She trailed off, face twisting in disgust.

_"Ah, hime!"_

_"Please do not burn these! Sakura, dear, I beg of you!"_

_"You seem to not understand fine literature!"_

_"HIME, ONEGAI__—__"_

Sakura sighed, shoving the book back to her cloak pouch with a twitch. This was the book series her father, the fearsome King, mind you, was always reading at his spare time. At first, the pink-haired girl found it nice and amusing how his father had taken interest in reading. But as she found out and took a peak at the manuscripts, she blushed furiously, never in her life has she read something so vulgar.

Her neck heated up at the thought of Sasuke reading such things. _How obscene_, she mused, her nose wrinkling in disgust. _But then again, it could be Naruto's_. She shook her head, trying hard to dismiss all thoughts. She needed to focus on other important things.

_Growl._

She spoke too soon.

.

.

Sasuke sighed.

_Is this man for real? Pardon, but over a ridiculous book?_

He scowled, crossing his arms. "Look Kakashi, we will retrieve it okay?" He leaned against the counter, watching as Naruto tried to calm their mentor down. The blond laughed nervously. "I-Indeed, we will!" He tried his best to sound chirpy, nodding enthusiastically for added emphasis. He was not entirely sure if Kakashi-sensei was feigning hurt, but he shot his _the look_. "A-are you really that certain you'll get it back?" Naruto almost gagged. Waving the thought off, he helped him stand up, a little wobbly, holding on to him until he was steady.

Running a hand through messy ebony locks, Sasuke nodded mutely. "Just," His shoulders' slumped, tired. "Just give us some time."

"Hai." Naruto agreed, giving his sensei a comforting pat on the back. "Well, now that that's resolved," He yawned, scratching his cheek lazily. "Do you not think we deserve a nice long rest?"

"Hn."

"I mean, we searched the _whole_ town for it, it was true to its title of limited edition, I mean _really_, we actually even went to the extended of going through auctions involving smelly, elderly perverts who also wanted to acquire the book! And yes unfortunately, the bastard misplaced it somewhere and now we have to—"

_Cough._

"Dobe." Sasuke cleared his throat, giving the boy a knowing glare. Onyx eyes shifted slightly to check on their sensei. He does not want to deal with another childish, irrelevant fit. He just wants to lie down, close his tired eyes, and sleep. _Is that too much to ask for?_ He sighed, massaging his temples. _Apparently it is nowadays._

"A-Ah, gomen, gomen!"Awkwardly grinning, Naruto wearily scratched the back of his head. "Would you please let us stay the night, Kakashi-sensei?" He clasped his hands together, waiting for Kakashi to respond.

"..."

"Please...?" The blond added softly.

...

...

Sigh.

...

...

"If you two were not my students, I would have kicked you out already."

Sasuke snorted.

...

"Well the thing is, _we are_."

.

.

"O-oh my!"

Sakura turned her head back, hearing the moderate holler. Emerald eyes were wide as she saw an elderly woman, with her cart of fresh apples, devastated.

"Oh good heavens! M-my apples!"

Furrowing her eyebrows in concentration, the lady bent down. She was muttering soft, incoherent nothings as she clumsily picked up some of the fruit with one hand, the other massaging her aching back.

_Oh dear_, Sakura mused, watching from a wary distance. _Should I..?_ Contemplating a little, she shook her head and inhaled sharply, summoning a little courage within her.

Out of reflex, she trotted to the older woman's side, nimbly picking and gathering up all the apples that were lingering near the broken cart, along with the ones tumbling down the road. Being careful of her hood, she crouched low beside her. "L-let me help you with that." Sakura piped in timidly, a little shy. The pink-haired girl lifted the hem of her cloak, using the duvet as a hamper of some sort, as she collected the fruits.

Acquiring a woven basket, the elder situated the apples she collected. She closed her tired eyes, sighing dejectedly as she only collected a couple.

...

...

"Here, ma'am!" Sakura chirped, a bead of perspiration rolling down her jaw, yet she smiled reassuringly at the frantic lady.

Eyes were wide and watery as she saw how many apples the girl beside her was able to retrieve. She gave a weak smile. "Why, that is so nice of you, my dear." She replied, carefully places the red fruits in the basket with shaky hands. "How may ever can I repay you?"

A faint red tinted her cheeks as Sakura, still crouched beside her, she gave a timid giggle. "Oh, it's not really a big de—"

_Growl._

...

"Oh my." The lady chuckled, as the pink-haired girl's face reddened even more. Picking up an apple, she wiped it clean with her apron. "May I see your hands, milady?"

A little confused, Sakura tilted her head to the side, but slowly reciprocated. The woman continued to smile as she placed the fruit gently in the girl's open palms, curling her own atop hers. "Here you go."

"B-but—"

"Shh, now eat."

"Y-you do not really have to—"

"You must be hungry."

"Oh! Not real—"

_Growl._

...

"..."

"..."

"Well," She chuckled.

"..."

"Your stomach says otherwise, milady."

.

.

**_tbc_**

.

.

.

* * *

**note:** woot, the boys get more screen time yes.


End file.
